Daily Republican., 1887-12-16

on grazing cattle that made him an
outlaw with price on his head, to be
relcntlcsGly hunted even among the
many crogs and cloud capped cratcrs,
where he makes his home.
sTAMPEDEn EY CoND1Rs.
The little village where ! was stay
in9 in Chill lay at the ry base Of the
Andes, with about 4 milc OF plain
stretching away 10 the oceans, AT
sunrise on the very first morning !
Was in the place was awakened by u
great cannlotion among the popuace.
Springing from the palm mattress Oh
which had been sleeping, | looked
cur Ot the low window OF my apart
meut Men, women and children
were running through the Barrow
streets yelling wildly, and men on
horseback dashed away across the
plain. in which direction the mob of
excited villagers was tending. A roar
as though hurricane were passing
came up from the plain, and there was
IN tremoI in the earth that alarmed me.
( was sure that we were about TO be
shaken up by an earthquake, and
hastily throwing on my clothes ! hur-
y ried IRON the house which seemed en-
iirely deserted. Two or three men,
who were apparently unmcyed by
whatever il was that had excited the
rest of the village, lounged about the
door. Somewhat reassured by the
calmness and indifference of these
men, | inquired of them what the
trouble was, and was told that it was
nothing but the condors, which had
come down that morning in large force
from the mountains, and were even
then engaged in selecting cattle from
the village herd. Looking across the
plain | discovered for the first time
that great cloud of dust covered ii
for wide area, from which came the
roar and the tremor that had alarmed
me. The cloud and the roar and the
tremor were made by the herd dash
ing furiously about on the plain, flee
ing in terror before the pursuit OF The
condors. | could see several horse
men plunging along close to the edge
of the rolling cloud, and occasionally
the dust would lift on one side or the
other, and the dimly outlined forms o.
fleeing cattle could be seen, while il
and out of the volumes of dust, circlins
over ii ike still darker clouds, dartinl
down into lts depths or lowering along
its edge, the great c0ndors appeared
and disappeared in manner that wa
10 be more than startling. The scen'
was an exciting one, and, quickly sad
ding my horse, which was quarteret
in the small inn yard, | dashed away
across the plain to enjoy close view
of the disturbance aud see what it
outcome would be, passing on my way
jahbering and shouting groups OF vii
layers hurrying atoot towards the fly
ing clouds OF dust, in which were hid
den the common property OF the plac
, and its ravenous and determined toe.
As rode ur to within dozen rod:
OF the stampeded cattle, one of the
herd burst suddenly from the dense
, volume OF dust. Four immense con
doris followed it and, swooping dowr
upon it, tore at its flesh with tbei
great claws and punctured and lacera
ted il with their strong beaks. Th'
animals eyes were bloodshOt and wer'
wild with terror. Its bellowings wer'
, terrible to hear. 1t lashed it's tail IL
, agony against its torn and bleedins
sides, and rushed aimlessly in all di'
B rections, while the huge vultures beat
against it and slashed and ripped i
with beak and claws While gal
! loped along and watched this sicken
,, ing mutllation of the helpless steer thu
! herd dashed on, and every condor tina
. was following it seemed to abandon it,
, and. whetted by the scent OF the blood
, that flowed from the wounded steer,
+: ioined in its mad pursuit. Although
the poor beast sped over the grount
like the ffeetest racer, the attacking
birds kept close by the side, plying
, their terrible beaks and talons. Th'
!. herd, free from the assaults of the con
. dors, came to stop mile or so away
and the mounted herdsmen dashed
back to the scenes I was watching
D They carried lassos and spurred theil
horses after the steer, which was nov
closely followed By the whole field o
vultures The procession OF following
!, villagers had also arrived on the spot
,nd huddled ah0ut in nOisy prOuDs